Ramblings of a Deployed Mind
From the confines of Camp Leatherneck
ALMAR/ALFAM/ALFRDS
Yep another week down. Today is Patriot’s Day, a day none of us should EVER forget. 10 years ago a faceless coward, the one we are still fighting, attacked a peaceful nation. I still remember what happened that day. I was living in Iceland at the time, just got there the month prior and was just getting settled in to my new job as Guard Chief of Marine Corps Security Force Company Keflavik, Iceland.
I had a small 30 man platoon with two new squad leaders, a new Commanding Officer, a new Training Chief, and a new Admin Chief…we were all just getting there. I had actually come back from lunch and was sitting in the Admin office going through some files when the clerk said a plain had run into the World Trade. Mind you, we didn’t have any TVs in our small building, only in our Guard Shack in the barracks. Thinking nothing of it, we continued to what we were doing. A little later, with the radio going at that point, the second plane had hit the second World Trade Tower. At that point the Maj (now out here with me as a LtCol) and I had spoken, going through files of what we needed to do if something happened. I had called over to the Post 1 at the Guard Shack and told the Guard Platoon to get on deck with gear. I got the response, “they’re already loaded up waiting on you…we are watching the TV in disbelief”. The CO ran over to me and told me a bomb or something had gone off at the Pentagon and he was calling the Base CO for employment of the Marines. I got over to the Guard Shack, starring at the TV for a few minutes, and gave the Marines direction to employ a barrier plan around the barracks, I wanted nothing to touch us. Within a few hours, we had triple strand c-wire around our complex, a 13 foot high ECP, machine guns in the yard, and Marines standing post. I was called to the base COC to stand up the base defense operations center and stood watch for the first 24 hours. We eventually had to deploy one platoon to Germany to assist with Security, but the Marines acted like Marines and worked 12 hours on, 12 hours off for a few weeks. It was a trying and emotional time for all, no doubt.
How quickly have people forgotten? Look on Facebook and search 9/11 and see how many people are saying, “get over it” or just listen to our liberal media. Firefighters and policeman aren’t being honored as they should, today’s military has become a pawn in a political game, and people have skewed the term “separation between church and state”. As for the events of modern day America, we have changed. I have nothing against religion, just the people that push it. It’s easier to be Muslim now a days, because if you don’t agree, the liberal media attacks you for being a bigot; yet Christians get trashed everyday. The term “separation between church and state” was coined by our fore fathers dictating that the state (federal government) could not push a religion upon it’s nation…NOT that you couldn’t profess/practice/or show your faith as the liberals have put it in today’s society. We need to get America back to being great, where people did not test our resolve due to weak leadership.
Regardless, the week here was busy and fast. Lots of new projects were started and I’m getting ready to leave for Europe next week. I officially went of 472 miles (my goal) this week, two months early, as I had until November 10th. These 5 Fingers have been pretty exciting to run in. We are excited here that the football season has started, so GO BILLS! It’s also Grandparents Day today…so Happy Grandparents Day Mom and Day, I love you!!
My little one was again admitted to the hospital on Saturday and she’s going to be there for a few days again. She was more upset that she missed her teams first soccer game of the season (two years in a row), but she is always in good spirits. I miss that girl so very much and would trade anything to take her pain away. She is back in room 6C-06 at UNC Children’s Hospital at Chapel Hill.
So another week down and next week will be the half way point for me…I can’t wait. I’ll talk to you all next week!
MSGT JOEL WEBER
II MEF FWD C6
UNIT 73920
FPO AE 09510-3920
